Dust Note
by LoZxDustxHunter
Summary: Jaune knew that he didn't belong in with his family. They were all successful people with promising careers. And he was the disappointment of the family. The only thing that kept him going was his music, his only escape in this world. But even the good things in life can turn bad, all it takes is one little push. Or a girl. Yeah, that can cause it too. R&R. (Real world AU)


**Hey all! LoZxDustxHunter here, I know that i said that I wasn't going to be posting for a couple weeks because I'm re-writing Team RNBW, but this idea came to me and I just had to share it with you all! I hope you enjoy the story! Please read &amp; review!**

* * *

**RWBY: Dust Note**

**Prologue**

The sun was setting as the blonde boy stumbled on the sidewalk. His body aches all over.

_'I'm probably covered in bruises.'_ The boy thought to himself, _'Mom is gonna flip, crap.'_ He added with a grimace.

The boy suddenly stopped and looked down at his dirtied clothes. The light blue jeans were ripped and covered with dirt. His shoes weren't any better, one covered in dirt and grime. He had no idea where the other was.

"Those jerks probably threw the other one away somewhere." The boy spoke aloud, his voice laced with anger. He then looked down at his shirt...or what was left of it anyways.

What had once been a very nice white t-shirt, was now little more than a ripped and dirty rag. The front was torn open in a crude, jagged line, exposing the boy's stomach and chest to the cold air. The ruined cloth was covered in grass stains, mud, and a dark substance the boy couldn't make out in the quickly fading light of the sun. But he had a idea on what it was. He brought his nose down to one of the many dark splotches and sniffed.

Yep, he was right.

That was blood. He knew that metallic scent all too well.

"Great, now mom really is gonna flip." The blonde boy groaned, he didn't know if it was from the pain, or the thought of his mother.

Probably a bit of both.

The boy then resumed limping towards his home. The sun had set a few minutes ago, covering him in darkness. Now he was _really_ gonna be in trouble. Cursing the group of boys that had beaten him earlier today, he quickened his pace to a slight jog. Ignoring the way his muscles screamed at him in protest. He had to make it home.

After several minutes of jogging painfully through the dark, the boy made it to a front lawn of a house. His house. He stared at the outline, squinting to make of the details. Then he noticed that there was a light shining through the living room window, spilling out onto the lawn.

Calming the sudden feeling of nervousness that made his head dizzy, or was it the pain? He shook his head lightly, he realized that it didn't matter. What did matter was that he get inside before his family called the cops again for him going "missing".

Oh yeah, that day had been _so_ fun.

Taking one last deep breath to calm his nerves, and hurt his chest, the boy walked up the driveway and ascended the porch steps, to stop in front of the front door. He could do this right? His parents were nice understanding people, who didn't punish their son for returning four hours later than he was supposed to...

"Who am I kidding?" The boy whispered to himself,"I'm so screwed."

And with that, he turned door handle, he knew it was unlocked, and pushed the door open. He took a hesitant step inside and looked around. The house was warm and a candle had been lit, giving the house a smell of lavender and vanilla. Someone was up.

And they were waiting for him.

_'Please don't be him.'_ The blonde thought to himself, _'Please just don't be him.'_

He started to slowly walk towards the stairs that led upstairs, and more importantly, his bedroom. He would be safe in there right? Most likely not, but it's that thought that counts. So he started to take quicker strides, in hopes that nobody would notice he's back yet.

He didn't even make it half way before he heard it.

Or should the boy say, _him_.

"You stop right there Jaune!" A deep, gruff, masculine voice said loudly from somewhere behind him.

The boy, or Jaune, froze like a deer in the headlights. How had he missed him? He was quiet and everything, no one should have heard him come in. Jaune continued to stand there frozen in place, as if someone had pressed his own personal pause button.

He heard a deep sigh from behind him, "Turn around Jaune." Was all the voice said, it sounded tired and...disappointed?

Jaune did as the voice told, and turned to face the owner of said voice. He was tall man with hair much the same way as his although darker. The man had a well kept beard the same color as his hair, he had light blue eyes that seemed darkened in the stern look he was giving Jaune. The man's muscles were clearly noticeable through his light gray t-shirt.

All in all, he was a very intimidating man.

How had Jaune missed him again? Right, the pain probably made him oblivious to his surroundings.

Jaune gulped past the newly forming lump in his throat,

"Hi...dad." He said weakly.

The blonde man, Zachary Arc, sighed into his hand. He wasn't even looking at Jaune, but he was pinching the bridge of his nose. He was clearly frustrated. And not happy. Not happy and frustrated meant that this was gonna end badly for Jaune Arc, he just knew it.

Zachary, after several moments, finally brought his gaze upwards to meet his son's, only to widen his eyes in shock as he took in Jaune's beaten and dirtied appearance,

"Jaune," He started, "what the hell happened to you?" He asked as he stepped forward to examine his son's face. It didn't look very good.

Jaune stepped back when he saw his father move towards him,

"Nothing dad." He mumbled, his eyes downcast, "I just got into a little fight is all. No big deal." He finished trying to flash an assuring smile towards his dad. He failed.

His father's gaze hardened, "No big deal?!" He suddenly yelled.

Jaune winced as he dad shouted, that was sure to wake his sisters and mother. And this whole side of Vale.

He was about to reply but instead gasped in pain as his father roughly grabbed his arm and started dragging him towards a closed door. Grumbling about 'little fights' and 'this not being a big deal' along the way.

Jaune was confused, where was his father taking him? His gaze landed on the door they were approaching.

Oh no...he was dragging Jaune _there_

The bathroom.

Where there was a _mirror_.

Jaune did not need to be reminded of how he looked at the moment, that would just show how weak he was. And he didn't need to be reminded of that either. So he struggled to be free of his father's iron like grasp. He tried wiggling around, he even tried to hit his father but to no avail. His father didn't look affected at all.

His dad was strong.

_'A lot stronger than me, that's for sure.'_ Jaune thought bitterly.

So instead of trying to escape, Jaune did the next "best" thing. He yelled, quite loudly in fact.

"Let me go dad!" Jaune shouted, "I don't need to see myself, I have a pretty good idea on what I look like!" He continued to shout.

Yeah, his mother and sisters were definitely gonna wake up now. In fact, they were all sitting on the stairs watching him, eyes wide and mouths open, no doubt shocked at his appearance.

Come on, it wasn't _that_ bad.

But when his father opened the bathroom door, pushed him in and turned the light switch on, he understood their surprise.

If Jaune were to be completely honest...

He looked like shit.

His left eye was swollen shut, how'd that happen? He couldn't remember. His top lip was busted open, dried blood all over his mouth. His forehead had a nasty gash across it, but thankfully it didn't look like it would scar. And his nose was bloody, very bloody, but not broken. This was all good news right?

According to his father it wasn't.

"Is this what happens when you get into a "little fight"?" His father said, referring to what Jaune had said earlier, "Is this not a "big deal" to you?" He gestured to Jaune's face.

His father's eyes then softened as Jaune's gaze met his through the mirror's reflection, "Jaune, just tell me one thing." He stepped forward and kneeled down next to his son, "Why do you let this happen to you? Every week this happens. You just come back home one day, bruised all over, and you never tell us anything." He looked into Jaune's eyes, "Please, just tell me why." He asked Jaune pleadingly.

Jaune tore his eyes from the mirror, to see his father. His eyes were full of worry, concern, fear and was that pity?

Anger suddenly flared through Jaune. No, his father did NOT get to pity him. He was weak enough as it it, he doesn't need to know that his own _father_ pitied him.

Pushing his father away, Jaune stomped out of the bathroom.

"You know why I let them do this dad." He said bitterly, not turning around to face his father. He then looked at his seven sisters and mother, "You all know why I let them do this." He addressed his whole family as he stopped in the middle of the family room.

Zachary was confused, how could they know? Jaune never told them anything.

"Jaune," Zac started softly, "I don't know what you-"

"Yes you do!" Jaune shouted as he turned to face his father, tears streaming down his face like miniature rivers.

Zachary was shocked, why was Jaune crying? He never cried when this happened before. He'd just shrug it off and stay in his room for hours. He must have finally reached his breaking point.

Well, getting beaten up constantly will do that to a kid.

"Jaune, I really don't know." Zachary said, "We, really don't know." He gestured to Jaune's sisters and mother on the staircase, "So please tell us so we can help." His father he was all but begging him with his eyes.

Jaune looked at his father in front of him, then his mother and seven sisters on the stairs.

_'How could they not know?'_ He thought to himself, _'Everyone at school knows. They remind me everyday.'_ He added as the tears continued to fall.

Then his mind, through the sadness and pain, finally processed what his father had said,

"Help?" He asked his father, "You think that you can help me?"

Zachary nodded, "Yes son, just tell us and we'll do whatever we can to help."

Jaune gave his father a blank look. The tears dried and stopped falling.

Then he _laughed_.

But this laugh contained no joy or humor whatsoever.

His family was shocked, why was Jaune laughing? Had he finally snapped?

When Jaune's "laughter" died down, he addressed he father. His gaze was hard as he spoke,

"You can't help me." He said in a voice devoid of any emotion.

His father of course, thought otherwise,

"Yes we can Jaune!" He protested, "How could you possibly know-"

"Because you just can't!" Jaune yelled as he interrupted his father a second time. He continued to shout,

"None of you can help me! I'm nothing compared to any of you! I'm pathetic, weak, not good enough! I try to fit in with you all, my own _family_, but all I ever seem to do is disappoint you all!" Jaune was spilling his heart out to his father, the dam had finally broken and fresh tears soon pooled in his eyes. Jaune didn't try to wipe them away.

He just let them fall to the ground as he stood there, shaking with the sobs that he held back. He had finally told his family what was wrong. He knew his father cared for him, but he still saw the disappointment that was in his eyes.

Zachary finally understood, Jaune felt as if he didn't belong here. He felt inadequate because everyone in the family had either a respectable and very successful career, or was close enough to one that they might as well have the job already. He looked upon his youngest child, Jaune was the only boy after seven girls. Seven girls who basically had everything given to them on a silver platter while Jaune had to work to even be noticed.

Zachary felt a wave of guilt overcome him. How could he have been so blind to his son? He was a horrible father. He slowly walked towards Jaune, opening his arms for a hug, the boy very well needed one.

"I'm sorry Jaune. I..." His voice faltered, "I never knew. Come here son, please forgive me." He fully expected Jaune to run into his arms, crying his eyes out and tell him that he was sorry.

What he did not expect, was for Jaune to _push him down to the floor_, and start yelling.

"Don't hug me!" He shouted as he pushed his father onto his rear, "I've felt like this for years and you only just figured in out because I told you!" Jaune didn't hold back the sobs this time. They racked his body as he continued his rant,

"So you don't get to act like everything is fine. Because everything is most certainly NOT FINE!" He turned away from his father, sobbing as tears cascaded down his bruised face, and walked shakily towards the staircase causing his sisters and mother to move out of his way.

He stopped at the base of the stairs and turned back towards his father. He eye that wasn't swollen shut was puffy and bloodshot from crying,

"Just leave me alone dad. You never did a thing to even try and find out what was wrong. You've ignored me ever since I can remember."

His gaze turned hard as steel when he spoke again,

"I hate you father. Do not speak to me again." Then then gestured to his sisters, "You have them, the perfect kids actually good at what they want to do. Talk to them, but not me."

And with that, he stormed up the stairs to his room, slamming the door shut. He didn't bother changing out of his dirty clothes as he fell face first on his bed, once again crying his heart out.

_'Why me?'_ He thought to himself as he sobbed, _'Why am I the one to be the outcast?'_

He hoped that one day, he would find a way to end all the pain he suffered. That somehow, he would find something he loved to do and was good at.

That was his one wish.

But he never expected that it would come true.

* * *

**Well what do you think? I really hope that you all enjoyed this. Now I'll post another chapter soon if you all like it. Sound like a deal? Good. Then I guess I'll see you all in the next chapter!**

**-LoZxDustxHunter**


End file.
